Telangana raises alarm over Krishna water usage by Andhra, urges KRMB to ensure fulfilment of entitlement

Telangana has accused Andhra Pradesh of exceeding its Krishna water entitlement and urged the KRMB to strictly monitor reservoir drawals to ensure equitable sharing till the end of the 2025–26 water year.

Hyderabad: Telangana has once again highlighted its concerns over the uneven utilization of Krishna River waters, claiming that Andhra Pradesh (AP) has considerably exceeded its entitlement in water drawals so far this year.

In a letter to the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB), Telangana demanded steps for vigilant monitoring of the drawal outlets of the joint projects to ensure AP adheres to its remaining quota until the end of the current water year on May 31, 2026.

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According to State irrigation officials, in the current 2025-26 water year, AP has already consumed a staggering 533.53 thousand million cubic feet (TMC) of Krishna waters, while Telangana has managed only 116.9 TMC. This brings the total usage by both states to 650.44 TMC, with AP accounting for 82.03% and Telangana a mere 17.97%.

Telangana’s irrigation department has calculated that, even under the interim 66:34 allocation ratio that has been favouring AP, only 82 TMC of water has been left out in AP’s quota after accounting for the water already used. The State estimates that AP will require an additional 142 TMC from the Srisailam and Nagarjunasagar reservoirs between now and May 31, 2026, based on its usage patterns from December 1, 2024, to May 31, 2025.

Current storage levels in the key reservoirs stand at 146.8 TMC above the minimum drawdown level (MDDL) in Srisailam and 152.21 TMC in Nagarjuna Sagar, totaling 299.02 TMC. Telangana insists that these limited reserves will be crucial for coming months and would need a close watch and regulation to ensure equitable distribution.

The conflict over Krishna water sharing stems from the bifurcation of the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh in 2014, after which the Central government assigned the task of finalizing Krishna water sharing to the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal-II (KWDT-II). No final verdict has been issued yet. In 2015, a temporary 66:34 ratio (AP:Telangana) was adopted, but Telangana has rejected its continuation beyond 2024-25, instead demanding a 29:71 split in its favor.

“This imbalance cannot continue,” a Telangana official stated, emphasizing that the State has been put to disadvantage in water utilization post-bifurcation. The KRMB is expected to review the letter and potentially convene a meeting of both States to address the escalating tensions over the vital river resource, which supports agriculture and drinking water needs across the region.